OFF-LICENCES that sell alcohol to teenagers and adults that buy drinks on their behalf are the target of a new Bromley police initiative that uses different colour named bags.

Eight shops in Cray Valley West have been given 1,000 bags - the brainchild of the Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Each has its own colour, name and address and a statement about the shop’s support for responsible drinking.

The bags also have contact numbers for people with drink related concerns and a warning that it is an offence to buy alcohol on behalf of someone that is under 18.

Head of the Cray Valley West SNT, Sergeant David Conyers, said: “During the last four months we have seized an appallingly high number of alcoholic drinks from children.

“Teenagers make poor decisions while intoxicated and unacceptable levels of disorder and damage are directly attributable to young people obtaining alcohol and street drinking.

“In addition, our community have been telling us that when they encounter youths with alcohol they are frightened that an altercation is likely to occur and this effect is damaging to the local community.

“Youths seen in possession of the carrier bags suspected of containing alcohol will be searched and we will also be able to trace the bags found discarded at drinking spots back to the premises where the drinks were sold.

“Our investigations had been hampered by the fact that the majority of the off-licences previously used the same blue vest style bag, which made it difficult for us to identify the sources that were supplying the alcohol.”

The shops have also been given a price gun and freezer resistant labels that can be used to put the postcode of the shop on cans and bottles.